Z Energy
Z Energy, known simply as "Z", is one of New Zealand's largest fuel companies. British-Dutch company Shell exited the fuel distribution market in New Zealand in 2010, and was acquired by Infratil and the New Zealand Super for $891 million. Initially, in 2010 the branding remained as Shell whereas the holding company was renamed from Shell NZ to Greenstone Energy. In May 2011, after surveying 17,000 customers, the company was renamed Z Energy Ltd. and the service stations simply branded as "Z". As of June 2013, Z energy owns Chevron new zealand,l and therefore all Caltex service stations. The Caltex brand remains separate. Almost all Z stations have Washtec Car Washes. Sadly, a large number of stations removed their car washes whilst still under Shell, thus the older Ryko machines were lost. The only ones where Car Washes survived were usually ones with newer machines already. Wellington Airport, Wellington (former Caltex) This site was originally a Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser 4000. When Z took over the station, they replaced it with an orange-brush Washtec Softcare Evo. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018. DSCN8418.JPG DSCN8423.JPG Airport3.jpg Airport4.jpg Airport2Z.jpg Airport1Z.jpg Airport2.jpg|The site used to belong to Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser4000 Airport1.jpg|The site used to belong to Caltex, and had a PDQ Laser4000 Mirimar, Wellington This site has had a Washtec Softcare Evo with Shell's red, yellow & blue brushes since the Shell days. The brushes were replaced with orange ones when Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018. DSCN7738.JPG DSCN7739.JPG Mirimar4.png Mirimar2.jpg Mirimar3.png Wellington City, Wellington This site had a Washtec Softcare back in the shell days, with shell's brushes. The brushes were changed to orange when Z took over. In 2017, the machine was replaced with a brand new Washtec Softcare, and in 2018 it was upgraded with the new-style brushes. Wellington5.jpg Wellington6.jpg Wellington4.jpg Wellington2.jpg Wellington3.jpg Wellington1Z.jpg Boulcott, Lower Hutt This was the last Shell site in wellington to have an old car wash. It had a touch-free Ryko Monarch II. When Z took over in 2011, it was replaced with a Washtec Softcare. I have been lucky enough to get a couple of photos of the plant room for this car wash. In 2018, new-style brushes were installed. DSCN5752.JPG DSCN5753.JPG LHutt1.jpg LHutt2.jpg LHutt4.jpg LHutt3.jpg Boulcott5.png Masterton This site has always had a Washtec Softcare Evo since the Shell days. The brushes were replaced with Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018. Masterton4.png Masterton1Z.jpg Masterton2Z.jpg Masterton3.png Johnsonville As per other sites, this Z had a Washtec Softcare installed back int he days of Shell. The brushes were replaced when Z took over. They were replaced with the new-style brushes in 2018. In 2019 This Car Wash was replaced with a brand new Washtec Softcare, fitted with the new-style dryer, colour LED lights and the addition of jet sprayers. Photos coming soon. DSCN1571.JPG|The NEW Car Wash. DSCN4407.JPG Jville2.jpg JVille1.jpg Porirua & Mana (now gone) Both of these are sites that once had car washes, but got rid of them. I do not know what was installed at Porirua, but Mana once had a Ryko UltraClean. There's no photos of this available whatsoever. Paraparaumu, Kapiti This site has had a Washtec Softcare since the Shell days. the brushes were replaced when Z took over, and then replaced with the new-style ones in 2018. Kapiti4Z.jpg Kapiti5Z.jpg Kapiti3Z.jpg ParaparaumuShell.png Levin This site in Levin once had a Washtec Softcare Evo, but it was removed before Z took over. The wash bay survived, and when Z took over, they decided to convert to a self-serve Jet Wash bay. Levin2.png Levin1.png The Plaza, Palmerston North Things don't change once you leave Wellington. This Palmerston North site by The Plaza Shopping Centre is the same story - Washtec Softcare Evo installed under Shell, brushes changed when Z took over. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018. Palmy2.png Palmy 3.png Palmy4.png New Plymouth I visited this site in 2018, but didn't get any photos. This site is one that had ditched its Car Wash prior to 2008 whilst under Shell Ownership. When Z took over, a new Washtec Softcare was installed in the bay, which was still standing. NewPylmouth1.png NewPylmouth2.png Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth I visited here in 2018. This site didn't have a car wash under Shell (of it did, it was Demolished prior to 2010). When Z took over, a new bay was built and a Washtec Softcare installed. DSCN2400.JPG Stratford I passed through this area just south of New Plymouth in 2018. The oldest Streetview data is from 2010, and shows the site with a Washtec SoftCare Evo, installed under Shell. The same machine is still in place, but has had a couple of brush replacements since Z took over. Startford1.png Startford2.png Startford3.png Napier Finally, an interesting site. This Shell had a very very old Ceccato car wash, with multi-coloured brushes. it was removed in 2009. When Z took over, as the wash bay was still there, they installed a Washtec Softcare Evo. The wash had the new style dark blue & orange brushes installed in 2018. Napier3.png Napier 1.jpg Napier2.png Auckland Airport - Mangere, Auckland This is a site I have a visited on a number of occasions when flying to and from Auckland International Airport. This site originally had a Ryko UltraClean with Yellow Brushes. It was replaced with a Washtec Softcare Evo in 2009, and was subsequently re-brushed when Z took over, and then again with new-style brushes in 2018. This is (so far) the only place I have found on Google Maps with any kind of image of a Ryko UltraClean at a Shell. there used to LOADS of Ryko's and other old machines at Shells, but were pretty much all replaced or removed around the time Google Streetview started, so we just missed out on seeing them! AklAirport1.png AklAirport2.png AklAirport3.png AklAirport4.png Manukau, Auckland I visited the area last in January 2018. This is one of many sites in which Shell had removed the Car Wash prior to 2009, and the wash bays at empty until Z took over. The new machine is a Washtec SoftCare, which was installed with Orange brushes. In 2018, the brushes were replaced with the new Blue-Orange design. ManukauZ-3.png ManukauZ-2.png ManukauZ-1.png